Author: Sharaii N. Johnson

I recall asking a family member if I had “good hair” like grandma. There was a chuckle followed by a firm no. I remember feeling so disappointed. If my hair was not good, did that mean it was bad? I began to question myself. What if I were encouraged to celebrate my natural hair? If I were taught how to care for and accept my God given locks? What if I were reminded of how beautiful, unique, and perfect my hair was? The reinforcement of these positive messages could have saved years of damage to my mane. Like many Black families, mine was not immune to the harmful views passed down through intergenerational trauma.